guys, we were able find quality people really quickly," Boyd recalls.
Today, it is not so easy. "Finding tradesmen in the field has been a
challenge," he says, noting that the company copes by expanding its
apprenticeship program so it can have larger classes each year. "Our
response has been to expand the number of guys we're training and
continue teaching from the ground up."
A Positive Environment
QuesTec's project divisions can meet the needs of different owners and
general contractors.
«
QuesTec maintains a fast-paced work environment, Boyd says.
"We're constantly seeking new ways of doing things and looking for
the next innovation that might be happening," he says. "We always
want to have our finger on the pulse of that."
Its recent innovations also included a fully bar coded warehouse
in Columbia where it stocks more than 10,000 parts. "We can deliver
materials to our guys on time when they need it," Boyd says.
This reflects the company's commitment to lean construction
methods. "We can have it here and keep it for them, so they're not
having to stockpile stuff at the site," he says.
The company's workplace also promotes teamwork. "We're always
looking at how we can combine everybody's strengths," Boyd says,
noting that this plays a large part in QuesTec's success.
"We have a lot of people from a lot of different experiences," he
says. "When you put those all together, it creates a unique team to
put together a great product."
But QuesTec also seeks to enhance those skills as well. The com-
one emails the company, "You need to respond right away," he says,
noting that the company has coped by splitting its crews into the
small and large project divisions.
"We can keep a certain number of guys focused on these fast
turnarounds where they have to jump in and out in a short amount
of time," Boyd says. "[We're] also allowing our larger project crews to
stay dedicated and focused on that large job so they're not having to
leave and bounce around a lot."
QuesTec also is adjusting to a shortage of skilled workers in its
market. "Ten years ago, we felt like any time we wanted to hire
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JUNE 2017 CONSTRUCTION-TODAY.COM